Voting by post

If you are unable to go to your polling station on election day, you can apply online for a postal vote.

APPLY FOR A POSTAL VOTE 

For further information contact: elections@southderbyshire.gov.uk

…or speak to a member of the Electoral Services team on: 01283 595875 / 595728 / 595723
 

What if I’m away before my vote is likely to arrive?

If you applied for a postal vote and don’t think you’ll be home to return it by post before Thursday the 1st of May, you can hand your completed postal vote pack in to your polling station. You must complete a form when you hand it in.

If you won’t be back in time to use your postal vote, you can instead appoint someone you trust as a proxy to vote on your behalf. You will need to:

  • cancel your postal vote by 5:00pm on 14th April 2025. This will happen automatically when you appoint a proxy, but you can contact us to talk about other options to cancel.
  • make a proxy application by 5:00pm on Wednesday 23rd April 2025.

The person you appoint as a proxy must:

  • be a registered elector who can vote in this election.
  • be a proxy for up to two electors living in the UK only.

Your proxy can:

  • vote in person on your behalf at your polling station. They will have to show their own accepted form of photo ID to be able to vote, or
  • vote by post for you but must apply for a proxy postal vote by 5:00pm on 14th April 2025.

Why isn’t my postal vote sent out as soon as I apply?

Postal vote packs are produced off site by a specialist printing company and contain the ballot paper and a personalised postal vote statement for each elector. Candidate nominations close at 4:00pm on Wednesday the 2nd April 2025, so ballot papers can only be finalised and sent to print after that.

Due to this very short timeframe, the printing company send the postal vote packs out in two batches, rather than individually as applications are received.